Henderson, Alexander definition of Henderson, Alexander in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Henderson, Alexander, 1583–1646, Scottish churchman often regarded as the greatest figure in the Church of Scotland after John Knox Knox, John, 1514?–1572, Scottish religious reformer, founder of Scottish Presbyterianism .

Early Career as a Reformer

Little is recorded of his life before 1545. He probably attended St. Andrews Univ.
..... Click the link for more information. . Henderson became a leading opponent of prelacy and of English domination of the church. In 1638, after the signing of the National Covenant (see Covenanters Covenanters (kəvənăn`tərz)
..... Click the link for more information. ), he was elected moderator of the general assembly at Glasgow, which deposed the bishops and set up Presbyterianism Presbyterianism, form of Christian church organization based on administration by a hierarchy of courts composed of clerical and lay presbyters. Holding a position between episcopacy (government by bishops) and Congregationalism (government by local congregation),
..... Click the link for more information. in spite of royal threats. Henderson met King Charles I to settle the problem and was favorably received. In 1640, he was elected rector of the Univ. of Edinburgh. In 1641 and 1643, he was moderator of the general assembly and presented (1643) a draft of the Solemn League and Covenant. He sat thereafter (1643–46) in the Westminster Assembly. In 1646, he again met Charles for a conference on church government during the course of the king's alliance with the Scottish army. Henderson wrote many speeches and sermons.

Bibliography

See biographies by J. P. Thomson (1912) and R. L. Orr (1919).